Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for sharing a frequency spectrum between networks, and in particular, to a method for sharing a frequency spectrum between different co-primary networks, and belongs to the field of wireless communications technologies.
Related Art
In recent years, heterogeneous networks (Heterogeneous Network, HetNet) draw widespread attention. A flexible networking mode of heterogeneous networks can satisfy diverse different requirements. Referring to FIG. 1, deployment of a macro cell (Macro cell) can provide wide area coverage, and deployment of a large quantity of small cells such as a micro cell (Microcell), a pico cell (Pico cell), a cell served by a home NodeB (Femto cell), and the like not only can enhance indoor coverage, but also can provide high-speed access. Compared with a macro base station, a small-cell base station has much lower transmit power. For some indoor small-cell base stations deployed, a radio signal of the base station suffers from great wall-penetration loss after penetrating a building. Consequently, under a condition that geographical locations are isolated, operators of heterogeneous networks can share a frequency spectrum while no strong interference is caused.
Co-primary spectrum sharing (Co-primary Spectrum Sharing) is a new frequency spectrum access mode, and co-primary frequency spectrum sharing that is dynamic and flexible can be implemented between different operators. It is required that two or more wireless frequency band license holders perform negotiation to agree on how to jointly use some authorized frequency bands of the holders. An entire frequency spectrum sharing mode is controlled by a national frequency band management organization. Therefore, a new mode is envisaged: A frequency band management organization no longer exclusively allocates a frequency spectrum resource to one operator, but simultaneously allocates a frequency spectrum resource to multiple potential operators (users). The potential operators (users) are required to jointly use the frequency spectrum resource fairly according to some particular rules. This new frequency spectrum using mode already starts to be discussed by organizations and institutions in the world. For example, it is involved in the discussion of allocating a 3.5 GHz frequency band in a fixed broadband wireless access (Fixed BWA) system by the German Federal Network Agency in May, 2004. In addition, a similar concept is also proposed in the “light licensing” scheme about 3650-3700 MHz by the Federal Communications Commission of America.
FIG. 1 shows a scenario of coverage overlapping between hybrid networks deployed by different operators in the current stage. Both an operator A and an operator B deploy a network in an area. A1 to A5 are five small-cell base stations deployed by the operator A, and B1 to B4 are four small-cell base stations deployed by the operator B. In the figure, coverage overlapping between networks of the two operators has three cases as follows: A degree of coverage overlapping is high; a degree of coverage overlapping is intermediate; and a degree of coverage overlapping is low, or there is no coverage overlapping. Policies used by different operators to separately deploy networks may be greatly different, and in addition, it is very difficult for different operators to exchange detailed information about network deployment, and a network topology can be estimated only according to some limited insensitive information, to determine a frequency spectrum allocation method. Therefore, if a network coverage topology deployed by different operators can be known, it is of great significance for the operators to negotiate a frequency spectrum allocation policy, and frequency spectrum utilization can be improved.